Can you fix a broken boiler? Look out for THIS error code to diagnose the real issue

WHEN your boiler isn’t functioning as it should, it’s easy to panic and call out an engineer – which can sometimes be pricey. But there are steps you can take yourself before contacting a professional.

Having your boiler break down in the middle of winter is everyone’s worst nightmare. Although there are methods you should be following ahead of the colder months to ensure your boiler is fully functioning, having it break is always a possibility. You should never attempt to fix your boiler yourself, but there are things to look out for if it does break down and some steps you can take to check whether it definitely is the boiler which has failed. Mark Ronald, Lead Engineer at Hometree advised you look for an error code on your boiler if it does begin to break.

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Remember, whenever having any gas work carried out, always use a Gas Safe registered engineer

He said: “A broken boiler can be incredibly stressful, worrying, and expensive depending on the amount of work that’s required. With boilers, as well as any other gas appliances, it’s important that you do not try to fix it yourself.

“The best first steps are to check whether your boiler has an error code number displayed. Once you’ve noted down this error code number, I’d recommend that you contact a Gas Safe engineer that can look into this error for you.

“Some error codes will determine what sort of condition your boiler is in, where in some cases it may be more cost effective to replace the boiler completely than pay a lot of money over time to keep it running.”

Mark added: “If your boiler doesn’t have a display installed on its control panel, it’s best to contact a Gas Safe installer for the best next steps.”

If you want to be sure your boiler has in fact broken before contacting an engineer, there are also a few steps you can take before calling in help.

There are DIY steps you can take before calling out an engineer for your boiler (Image: GETTY)

It's best the professionals repair a broken boiler (Image: GETTY)

Reset your boiler

To properly rest your boiler, check your boiler’s manual for the reset button and hold it for 10 seconds. After a few minutes, it should be working again. If not, attempt a second reset.

Bleed your radiators

You should regularly bleed your radiators, but your boiler breaking down may be a sign your radiators need bleeding.